[Malignant schwannoma of the renal capsule]

The authors report on a malignant schwannoma originating in the capsule of the right kidney. By sonography, nephroangiography, cavography, computer tomography and bone scanning, metastases in the kidney or a retroperitoneal tumor could be diagnosed. After transperitoneal exploration, the right kidney and mesenteric metastases were removed. Due to tumor infiltration into the liver and tumor masses in the retroperitoneum, we confined our operation to nephrectomy and palliative excision of retroperitoneal metastases. The patient developed pulmonary metastases postoperatively and died three months after the operation.